When you think of sleeping animals, maybe it's not always our best friends that come to mind. If so, we have to tell you that you are wrong, because dogs sleep a lot more hours than you think. Let's see how long a dog can stay asleep, and give you the name of some "lazy" dog breeds (i.e. they like to sleep more than they should).
How long dogs sleep on average
If we analyze the time that each species of the animal kingdom invests in their rest, we will find some noteworthy cases such as koalas, marsupials that can sleep for a whopping 22 hours a day, or opossums and armadillos, which can sleep for about 19 hours a day.
However, and far from what it may seem at first glance, dogs are among the laziest animals, as they can sleep up to 14 hours a day, as much as lions, cats or squirrels.
It is true that dogs do not usually sleep for all that time: in fact, they can spend 90% of the day sleeping intermittently. To determine how long a dog can sleep a day in total, it is necessary to take into account several factors that could make this average vary from one hour up to the next:
- Regular physical exercise helps our furry friends fall asleep, as it helps them burn off the energy they accumulate during the day.
- As for age, puppies and older dogs need to sleep for longer hours. Younger dogs can have sleeping days of up to 20 hours, and older dogs might stay asleep for about 18 hours a day.
- When a dog sleeps less than he should, it may be because of a health problem such as hip dysplasia or canine arthritis, which clearly hinders his rest.
- Breeds predispose some dogs to be more sedentary than others (as we will develop in the next section).
- No less important is the environment in which the dog rests: if he has a comfortable bed (such as the BalukaDREAM dog mattress from Baluka), he will be much less likely to miss the usual minimum hours of sleep.
The dog breeds that sleep the most
Basset hound
These cute furry dogs are some of the laziest dogs that exist, as they could sleep up to 20 hours a day, as long as you combine their rest with physical activity, as it is a breed prone to obesity.
English Bulldog
If the example of the basset hound is significant, what can we say about the English bulldog! It is not surprising to find some dogs that can sleep for a whole day . Of course, their docile, calm and affectionate character has a lot to do with this.
Cocker spaniel
The cocker spaniel is not exactly a lazy or lazy dog, but quite the opposite. It is a very active breed, with a lot of energy that needs to be released through physical exercise. However, these little ones reach the average of 13-14 hours of sleep of other dogs precisely because of the need they have to replenish their energy.
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Greyhound
Don't be fooled by the athletic appearance of greyhounds. Although they are very active and stylish dogs, they have the same problems as cocker spaniels: they need to recover from daily exercise and can accumulate up to 18 hours of sleep during the day.
Great Dane
Despite the imposing appearance and large size of this breed, the Great Dane is an extremely lazy little fellow who joins the 18 hours of sleep a day club. It is not a very active dog, so about 20 minutes a day of physical exercise is enough for it.
Lhasa apso
Specimens of this peculiar breed can sleep about 16 hours a day, and perhaps this is the key to their extraordinary longevity (especially considering their small size), as these dogs can live up to 20 years.
Mastiff
These large and protective guardians of the home are also capable of sleeping about 18 hours a day: they tend to be sedentary, and need to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day to avoid overweight problems.
Pug
It is surprising that these doe-eyed little guys can sleep up to 16 hours a day. Despite their small size, they are extremely calm dogs.
Saint Bernard
Despite being a very family friendly and sociable breed, Saint Bernards are especially lazy and need to sleep for about 18 hours a day, just like other dogs on this list.
Newfoundland
These big guys are excellent swimmers and have an enormously affectionate and sociable character... but also very calm. No wonder they also get 18 hours of sleep a day.
Whether we are talking about lazy dog breeds or the more active ones, there is no doubt that a good bed will always help them get the rest they really need. In baluka we have taken very seriously to take care of the rest of the dogs, and proof of this is our viscoelastic mattress for pets balukaDREAM, made with viscoelastic and with a quality worthy of welcoming the sleep of your best friend.
